Ayu Tomikawa, San FranciscoMember Since February 2009Artist Statement I was born and raised in Japan. As an introvert child, I nurtured my inner self by reading books and drawing pictures. When I was six years old, a classmate introduced me to manga (comic books), and I have been hooked ever since. I was also fond of watching sci-fi animation, and all of these influences helped create the artist that I am today.
My primary art medium is woodblock printmaking. I respect all pioneers of this genre such as Hokusai and Hiroshige, but Shiko Murakata is my favorite woodblock printer for his rough, strong wood carving style, and also his original coloring method.
I live and work in San Francisco, CA.